Our Commitment to Serve Veterans
Spring Arbor University has earned its status as a military-friendly school by honoring the Principles of Excellence for educational institutions set forth in Executive Order 13607. This order, signed April 27, 2012, by the President of the United States, established Principles of Excellence (POE) for any institution serving service members, veterans, spouses, and other family members. These eight principles are:
| PRINCIPLE OF EXCELLENCE | HOW WE COMPLY |
|---|---|
| 1. Prior to enrollment, provide prospective students who are eligible to receive Federal military and veterans educational benefits with a personalized and standardized form, as developed in a manner set forth by the Secretary of Education, working with the Secretaries of Defense and Veterans Affairs, to help those prospective students understand the total cost of the educational program, including tuition and fees; the amount of that cost that will be covered by Federal educational benefits; the type and amount of financial aid they may qualify for; their estimated student loan debt upon graduation; information about student outcomes; and other information to facilitate comparison of aid packages offered by different educational institutions. | SAU will provide a Financial Aid Shopping Sheet to veterans and service members before they decide to attend the institution. SAU will provide the Shopping Sheet to students who are eligible to receive Federal military or veteran education benefits. The Financial Aid Shopping Sheet is a consumer tool that participating institutions use to notify students about their financial aid package. It is a standardized form that is designed to simplify the information that prospective students receive about costs and financial aid so that they can easily compare institutions and make informed decisions about where to attend school. |
| 2. Inform students who are eligible to receive Federal military and veteran’s educational benefits of the availability of Federal financial aid and have in place policies to alert those students of their potential eligibility for that aid before packaging or arranging private student loans or alternative financing programs. | Upon request, SAU will provide a completed Shopping Sheet to any accepted student. SAU emails all identified prospective students information regarding the availability of federal and state financial aid and VA benefits. Upon receipt of admission application, additional information is provided detailing the steps to apply for financial aid or VA benefits at the college to those applicants who declare their intent to use those benefits. Similar information is posted on the university’s financial aid and military/veteran webpages. The Veteran Resource Office at Spring Arbor University is here to help you understand and use your Veteran Education Benefits. We are committed to providing support and assistance for military students and families. You may file/qualify for more than one VA / TA education benefit as well as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). For questions regarding Federal military, veteran-education benefits, and the FAFSA, please email financialaid@arbor.edu. |
| 3. End fraudulent and unduly aggressive recruiting techniques on and off military installations, as well as misrepresentation, payment of incentive compensation, and failure to meet State authorization requirements, consistent with the regulations issued by the Department of Education (34 C.F.R. 668.71-668.75, 668.14, and 600.9). | SAU does not, and has never, conducted fraudulent or aggressive recruiting on or off military installations or in any other venue, nor do we misrepresent ourselves, our programs or our mission. We do not pay incentive compensation to anyone for recruiting actions. We meet all State authorization requirements consistent with those issued by the Department of Education. |
| 4. Obtain the approval of the institution’s accrediting agency for new course or program offerings before enrolling students in such courses or programs, provided that such approval is appropriate under the substantive change requirements of the accrediting agency. | SAU obtains approval from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools for new program offerings before enrolling students in such programs. All degrees offered by Spring Arbor University are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission; 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604. 800.621.7440 |
| 5. Allow service members and reservists to be readmitted to a program if they are temporarily unable to attend class or have to suspend their studies due to service requirements, and take additional steps to accommodate short absences due to service obligations, provided that satisfactory academic progress is being made by the service members and reservists prior to suspending their studies. | Admitted students who are unable to enroll due to compulsory service (e.g., deployment or mobilization) will be retained in admitted status for the duration of the compulsory service that prevents them from enrolling in SAU as planned. Students must submit to the SAU admission office proof of compulsory service that prevents their enrollment. Active duty military must provide a letter from their commanding officer; Reservists and National Guard members must provide a copy of activation orders. Admitted applicants will retain the catalog rights for the original year for which they were admitted. They will also be granted an extended leave of absence after demobilization, but must enroll at SAU within 12 months of being released from compulsory duties. Students should notify the SAU admissions office of their plans for enrolling as soon as possible. SAU accommodates brief absences such as annual two week reserve training, provided that satisfactory academic progress is being made prior to the absence, and the faculty member is able to arrange appropriate supplemental coursework for the classes missed. For longer absences due to compulsory service, the student may choose two options with respect to classes being taken at the time that active duty commences. A student may, with approval of the faculty members involved, choose to receive an incomplete for all classes. Students and faculty will have to agree on the completion of all remaining coursework. Students who choose to receive incompletes will not receive a refund for tuition and fees for those courses for which an incomplete is authorized. Alternatively, a student may withdraw from all current classes and receive a 100% refund of tuition and fees paid by the student for those courses. Students will receive no credit for courses from which they withdraw, and will need to repeat those courses once released from compulsory service to receive credit for those courses to meet degree requirements. |
| 6. Agree to an institutional refund policy that is aligned with the refund of unearned student aid rules applicable to Federal student aid provided through the Department of Education under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as required under section 484B of that Act when students withdraw prior to course completion. | SAU follows the refund policy required for Title IV funding. Pursuant to T.C.A. § 49-7-2301 and 49-7-2302, students called to active military or National Guard service during the term are entitled to a 100% adjustment or credit of mandatory fees. |
| 7. Provide educational plans for all individuals using Federal military and veterans educational benefits that detail how they will fulfill all the requirements necessary to graduate and the expected timeline of completion. | Each student who applies and is accepted for admission as degree-seeking is provided with an official Transfer Evaluation normally within 14-21 business days of admission. The evaluation includes all course requirements for the chosen degree, credits transferred in, how those credits are applied to the degree plan, and the expected timeline for degree completion. Evaluations are updated periodically as needed. |
| 8. Designate a point of contact for academic and financial advising (including access to disability counseling) to assist service member and veteran students and their families with the successful completion of their studies and with their job searches. | The Veteran’s Admission Office at Spring Arbor University is the designated point of contact for service members, veteran students, and their families regarding successful degree completion, however, students will be referred as needed for specific issues. Spring Arbor University 106 E Main Street Spring Arbor MI 49283 517.750.6516 |
SAU will not impose any penalty, including the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or the requirement that a covered individual borrow additional funds, on any covered individual because of the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution due to the delayed disbursement funding from VA under chapter 31 or 33.